Geo 436 MULTAN: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that a national criminal investigation would be the next step to move forward after the announcement of UN Commission's report on assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Addressing a press conference at the local airport, he said that the UN report was being examined by legal experts and added that government was moving forward in accordance with the procedure and would not take any decision in haste. He said that President Asif Ali Zardari would announce the next strategy after a thorough process of consultation and after taking the party and its CEC into confidence. He said that government had opted for the inquiry by the UN to ensure impartiality and added that the criminal investigations thus conducted would have more weight. It would be more credible at national and international levels, he added. The FM said that the martyrdom of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was not merely a loss for the party but for Pakistan, the region and the whole world because she was a leader of international stature. Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that President Asif Ali Zardari and the Bhutto family waited patiently because they wanted to have truth behind the tragedy unveiled. To a question, he said that he does not want to repeat the excerpts from the UN Commission's Report which indicate poor security arrangements made by the then government and that the process of investigation was impeded. The Foreign Minister said that the whole world has expressed confidence on Pakistan's nuclear programme at the Nuclear Safety Summit in Washington and doubts which used to be expressed by some elements have died their own death. It shows that all doubts and stories were meaningless, he added. He said that US President Barack Obama himself expressed confidence over Pakistan nuclear programme stating that its security measures were second to none. The FM said that he himself accompanied Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani to Washington to attend the nuclear safety summit and our experts' team headed by Pakistan's Ambassador to China Masud Khan presented Pakistan's case effectively. He said that Pakistan informed the summit that was attended by heads of 45 countries that our three-layered security system meets international standards and was foolproof. The FM added that Pakistan also made it clear that its export control regime and regulatory framework were also in accordance with the international standards and no one raised objection on it during the summit. Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the most important was the statement of US President at the summit in which he stated in his concluding remarks: "We recognize the right of the developing countries to civil nuclear technology." To a question, the FM said that this government raised the issue of civil nuclear technology with the US. He, however, added that India did not secure the civil nuclear technology agreement with the US overnight. He said that the PM also met with the US President, secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry and the IMF officials. During the meeting with the IMF officials, the PM said that Pakistan was battling power crisis and it was not possible for the government to raise power tariff further in such circumstances. He added that PM told the IMF officials that the burden would be beyond the capacity of the people of Pakistan. We felt a sense of understanding during the talks and Pakistan government hopes that the next IMF tranche would be released after the IMF board meeting to be held on May 3-4, the foreign minister added. Shah Mehmood Qureshi disclosed that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani would take up the case of Pakistan's inclusion in the list of GSP Plus (Generalized System of Preferences) countries when he meets the EU leaders at the second Pak-EU summit on April 21 in Brussels. The 27-member EU is the largest trade partner of Pakistan and GSP Plus status would not only enhance Pakistan's exports to EU up to $US 6 billion but will also create one million jobs for the unemployed youth, he added. The FM said that Pakistan's preferences to combat the economic challenges included steps to overcome energy crisis and seek enhanced access of Pakistani products to lucrative foreign markets including US and EU. We have advocated for trade instead of aid during talks with the US and EU leaders and US President Barack Obama has reiterated his commitment to expedite the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (RoZs) legislation in the US Senate, he said. The FM expressed deep sense of grief over the deaths of the people in Abbottabad, Hazara division, and prayed that may Almighty rest the departed souls in eternal peace and give courage to the bereaved families to bear this loss. To a question, he said, it is time to pacify the situation instead of igniting emotions and all the political parties have to play a responsible role in this connection. He said that PML-Q has taken the matter enthusiastically despite the fact that nine of its 21 senators had agreed on approval of the 18th amendment bill. PML-Q should have first developed consensus within party on the issue, he added. The FM said that Pakistan raised the water issue with the US in the strategic dialogue and handed over a dossier to the US officials. While the statements did appear on the issue time and again in past but it was for the first time that the issue was raised in documented form, FM said and added that water was vital for country's agriculture, livestock and it was linked to inter-provincial harmony. To another question regarding Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, he said that he raised the issue at the highest forum during bilateral talks with the US. I did it while taking it as my responsibility and not for any feather in my cap, he added.
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